Temporally Variable Geographical Distance Effects Contribute to the Assembly of Root-Associated Fungal Communities.

ABSTRACT: Root-associated fungi are key contributors to ecosystem functioning, however, the factors which determine community assembly are still relatively poorly understood. This study simultaneously quantified the roles of geographical distance, environmental heterogeneity and time in determining root-associated fungal community composition at the local scale within a short rotation coppice (SRC) willow plantation. Culture independent molecular analyses of the root-associated fungal community suggested a strong but temporally variable effect of geographical distance among fungal communities in terms of composition at the local geographical level. Whilst these distance effects were most prevalent on October communities, soil pH had an effect on structuring of the communities throughout the sampling

SUBMITTER: Barnes CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4766365 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature